Green
Kitchens
When you
really think about it your kitchen
consumes the most energy out of any room in your home. It
actually
accounts for more than 50% of all the energy used in your entire
home.
Large appliances constantly sucking electricity aren’t the only
over-consumers. You also have to think about the amount of water
that’s
used by your dishwasher as well as high flow faucets that use up more
of this
natural resource than is really necessary.
Green
remodeling is a great way to not only
give your kitchen a beautiful new look but to also help do your part in
cutting
back on electricity usage along with quite a few other eco friendly
aspects. Environmentally conscious kitchen remodeling projects
don’t take
any extra expense or time to complete. All it takes is decent
knowledge
of the various techniques and elements which create the green
remodeling
industry.
Natural
Lighting
One of the
first things to think about when
starting your kitchen remodeling project is natural light.
Windows are
often the most underrated and overlooked aspects of a kitchen
remodeling
project. Not only does natural light help you cut costs on
electricity
for running your lights, but it has also been proven to make cooks
happier. Natural light can set the entire mood of your kitchen,
so be
sure to incorporate large windows when possible.
While you’re still in the design step, be sure to accommodate space for
proper
ventilation. Many kitchens don’t have nearly the airflow that
they
should, meaning those in the cooking space often deal with poor air
quality
which can be saturated in harmful chemicals from cleaning
products. Vents
and fans should be strategically placed to ensure great air flow,
providing
everyone in the room with clean, fresh air.
Green
Friendly Appliances
Finding
proper appliances is your next, and
arguably most important step. Just about every homeowner has a
refrigerator that is too big. Figure out exactly what you can
live
without and pick an appropriately sized fridge. Many microwaves
are also
entirely too big for what they are used for. Think about it, you
don’t
need a massive microwave to re-heat last nights leftovers. Go
with smaller
appliances which will save you money in the beginning as well as cut
back
drastically on the amount of electricity your kitchen uses. This
is by
far the most effective means of green friendly kitchen
remodeling.
Reduced energy usage is the easiest and best way to help the
environment.
Also discuss building materials with your kitchen remodeling
contractor.
Many types of flooring, insulation and cabinetry can contain chemicals
like
formaldehyde, which are bad for the environment. Ask your green
friendly
kitchen remodeling contractor to use only materials which are natural
and don’t
contain chemicals which can not only be hazardous to your health when
exposed
to them for too long, but also harm the eco system.
Recycling
Made Easy
Also be
sure to include recycling in your kitchen remodeling project. You
can do
this in three ways. Be sure that during demolition you recycle as
much of
the materials from your original kitchen as possible. Then be
sure your
contractor uses as many recycled and readily available natural
materials as
they can while still going with the over all theme and design of your
kitchen. Also be sure to accommodate for an area that is
dedicated
to holding your recyclable goods. A bin or drawer built to hold
cans, bottles
and paper will help you recycle while keeping your kitchen looking good.
Green remodeling is all about cutting back on the usage of resources as
much as
possible. Whether it be electricity, water or anything else, the
best and
easiest way to have a green friendly kitchen is to work with a
knowledgeable
eco friendly kitchen remodeling contractor. A skilled and
reliable
contractor who knows the advantages of eco friendly construction will
be able
to guide you through the entire design and build process. These
green
friendly contractors want to help the environment as much as you. |
